In a new survey, Danone North America found that 84% of Americans have become more interested in foods or products that support gut health in the past several years. This trend aligns with the rapid growth of the category, as the global probiotics market is expected to reach $199.5 billion by 2030, the company says.

While Google searches for “gut health” have more than doubled in the past three years, Danone’s survey showed that 41% of consumers remain unaware of the gut microbiome, and 50% do not realize it can impact gut health. This discovery reveals an opportunity for additional education, the company notes. The survey also shed light on multiple “persistent myths” that could make it difficult for consumers to navigate and best leverage gut health-promoting products in an increasingly crowded category, Danone says.

The company considers itself to be a pioneer in the biotics space, especially with the launch of Activia in 2006, and it is committed to not only providing research-informed products that support gut health and the gut microbiome, but also “empowering consumers with the information they need to make informed decisions around food and beverages that best support their needs.”

The survey was conducted as a follow-up to a survey Danone commissioned in 2021. This latest polling revealed that, although awareness surrounding the gut microbiome has slightly increased, there remains “significant work to be done on the education front.” Key findings of Danone’s survey were as follows:

• Half of Americans are unaware that the gut microbiome can impact gut health, and even more do not realize that it might impact several other top health and wellness priorities for U.S. consumers, including immune health (56%, down just 1% from 2021), mental well-being (63%, down 4%), healthy aging (54%) and sleep quality (61%).
• Seventy-three percent do not know the gut microbiome is established within the first few years of life.
• Most have difficulty identifying the eating habits and diets that best promote gut health. Only one in 10 consumers can correctly identify a Flexitarian eating pattern (which emphasizes plant-based foods while also incorporating nutrient-rich animal foods) as a diet that best promote gut health over more restrictive diets like keto and paleo.
• The survey revealed that more consumers are becoming aware of biotics, which have been shown to support gut health and the gut microbiome. Most Americans are familiar with probiotics (88%, up 4% from 2021) and prebiotics (76%, up 11%) and 60% are familiar with postbiotics (up 11%).

Kristie Leigh, registered dietitian and director of nutrition and scientific affairs at Danone North America, shares information to help bust several myths surrounding gut health, which could be making it difficult for consumers to choose the right products in pursuit of better gut health. She notes the following common myths:

• Myth No. 1: All fermented foods and beverages contain probiotics. Nearly half of consumers who are familiar with probiotics (49%) assume all fermented foods and beverages provide them, down just 3% from 2021.
• Fact: Fermented foods and beverages, like kombucha, sauerkraut or sourdough bread, might contain bacteria as part of the fermentation process, but that doesn’t mean they contain probiotics. Many fermented foods and beverages undergo processes like pasteurization and baking that kill the live microbes, probiotic or not. Always check the label of the product you’re buying to ensure it contains a live probiotic strain.
• Myth No. 2: All “live and active cultures” are probiotics. Forty-four percent of consumers familiar with probiotics believe all “live and active cultures” quality (down 3% from 2021).
• Fact: Not all bacteria are created equal. Even if a product contains live cultures, those cultures might not have been studied and shown to support health, which is what would make them a probiotic.
• Myth No. 3: Probiotic supplements are equivalent to probiotics in food. Forty-five percent of consumers familiar with probiotics still believe that probiotic supplements are equivalent to probiotics in food (down 2% since 2021).
• Fact: Foods are often considered a better vehicle for probiotics compared to supplements because they buffer stomach acidity, which can help probiotics reach the intestine. This includes dairy foods like yogurt. Another benefit is that, with food, you’re often getting important nutrients like vitamins, minerals, fiber and protein in addition to the probiotics as well.
• Myth No. 4: Prebiotics and probiotics do the same thing for your body. Seventy-one percent of those familiar with probiotics think prebiotics do the same thing for your body (down 4% since 2021).
• Fact: While both probiotics and prebiotics can support gut health, they do so by doing distinctly different things. Probiotics are live microorganisms that have been studied and shown to provide a health benefit, while prebiotics are dietary fibers that work as food for the good bacteria already in your gut. Both have a unique role, and both are important for gut health and gut microbiome support.

Danone says its commitment to continuing to advance the field of gut health and the gut microbiome is evident with initiatives like the Danone North America Fellowship Grant program, which has awarded over $500,000 to support groundbreaking studies on probiotics and human health since 2017.

For example, in 2024, the program awarded $25,000 each to Evan Chrisler of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and Arushana Maknojia of Baylor College of Medicine to “support research that aims to advance probiotic and prebiotic development.” Chrisler’s research examines how the timing and type of probiotic consumption affects metabolism and immunity, while Maknojia’s looks at the way gut microbes influence blood cell production.

“Our mission at Danone North America is to bring health through food to as many people as possible, and research continues to suggest that gut health and the gut microbiome are important pieces of that puzzle in some incredibly far-reaching ways,” said Miguel Freitas, PhD, vice president of nutrition and scientific affairs at Danone North America, in a statement. “That’s why it’s important for us to not only help fund research that continues to unlock the power of the gut microbiome, but also to keep a pulse on consumer understanding and sentiment to help us identify and address knowledge gaps in this area and in turn, empower consumers with science-backed information they can use in pursuit of their individual health goals.”